Japan's number one automaker Toyota today confirmed that approximately 120,000 cars in China will be recalled to services due to what seems to be a glitch regarding the electric power steering systems. Such a malfunction could lead to loss of steering control, the Detroit News reported quoting an advisory published by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine.
The notice concerns Crown and Reiz luxury sedans produced between 2005 and 2006 and Lexus models manufactured between 2004 and 2006, the aforementioned source added. All models will be recalled by Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., a joint venture between Toyota and China's FAW Group, with the faulty system to be replaced free of charge.
Although Chinese officials didn't say a thing about potential accidents caused by the glitch, they did mention that owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted in the next few days. Toyota officials could not be contacted for comments, Detroit News wrote, so nobody knows for sure if the malfunction also concerns vehicles sold overseas.
Unfortunately for Toyota, this isn't the first bad news for the company as the Japanese automaker started experiencing poor sales combined with discontinued projects and executive departures. It all started with the US-built Prius delay which bit the dust in early December due to the lack of interest over hybrids caused by continuously decreasing prices. It continued with rumors claiming that Toyota may get out of Formula 1 after financial problems massively affected most of the company's divisions.
Then, the Japanese manufacturer announced that it may record the first operating loss in seven decades, with November sales down 21.8 percent. Even if a new president was confirmed last week, problems seem to continue for Japan's no. 1 carmaker, so everybody's waiting for a market plan that could bring Toyota among the top players in the industry.
The notice concerns Crown and Reiz luxury sedans produced between 2005 and 2006 and Lexus models manufactured between 2004 and 2006, the aforementioned source added. All models will be recalled by Tianjin FAW Toyota Motor Co., a joint venture between Toyota and China's FAW Group, with the faulty system to be replaced free of charge.
Although Chinese officials didn't say a thing about potential accidents caused by the glitch, they did mention that owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted in the next few days. Toyota officials could not be contacted for comments, Detroit News wrote, so nobody knows for sure if the malfunction also concerns vehicles sold overseas.
Unfortunately for Toyota, this isn't the first bad news for the company as the Japanese automaker started experiencing poor sales combined with discontinued projects and executive departures. It all started with the US-built Prius delay which bit the dust in early December due to the lack of interest over hybrids caused by continuously decreasing prices. It continued with rumors claiming that Toyota may get out of Formula 1 after financial problems massively affected most of the company's divisions.
Then, the Japanese manufacturer announced that it may record the first operating loss in seven decades, with November sales down 21.8 percent. Even if a new president was confirmed last week, problems seem to continue for Japan's no. 1 carmaker, so everybody's waiting for a market plan that could bring Toyota among the top players in the industry.